The Fundamental Law of Sociology
There are some loons on the Internet trying to spread the idea that the fundamental law of sociology is the black-white test score gap. Put aside the fact that anyone who would even think of proposing such an absurd thing must be a raving scientific racist.
And put aside the fact that they must also be fairly stupid, because such a claim is, at best, a discovery about a particular society, and not a law. (Can you imagine someone claiming that “falling objects accelerate at 32 feet per second per second” is a fundamental law of physics?)
Even put aside the fact that no actual sociologist would even go near such a claim, as the field’s entire purpose is to investigate social causes of such phenomena.
No, let us look at an actual fundamental law of sociology, the Thomas theorem. The Thomas theorem says “If men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.”
Now think about what that means about claiming the black-white test score gap is an immutable law.
Extra credit: Research “stereotype threat”.
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January 23, 2007
Assuming all people deserve to enjoy all the benefits of their innate worth, and assuming all people deserve to enjoy all benefits of their potential…
1) How do you best help them as an individual?
2) How do you best help them as a member of their social-economic group?
There are people who will not “sign up” to the simple framework outlined above for releasing positive human potential and engage in the implied consequent analysis and actions.
For whatever reason, they don’t wish to “sign up”.
I am inclined to treat those people as brain damaged. Speak to them slowly, make no sudden movements, place their wallets inside of their mouths lest they choke on their own tongues.
In other words, if I come across a “socio-economist” sunk into a trough of pig filth, I trod upon his head to keep my pant cuffs from becoming soiled, and continue walking along. I don’t stick around to listen to his gurglings.
posted by manuelg
on January 23, 2007 #
Can you imagine someone claiming that “falling objects accelerate at 22 feet per second” is a fundamental law of physics?
Esp since “feet per second” isn’t a measure of acceleration :)
posted by Adam Langley
on January 23, 2007 #
I would have liked to ask for links to the sources - who could possibly claim anything like that, except for real racist nutters. But they don’t deserve an upgrade to their page-rank by being linked from here…
posted by Tom Berger
on January 24, 2007 #
He might be talking about that Steve Sailer jackass that was harassing Malcolm Gladwell in his blog comments. That’s the only person that leaped to mind for me, although it never would have occurred to me to call Steve Sailer a sociologist. But there is a never ending supply of other racists that aaronsw might be talking about.
posted by Ben Donley
on January 24, 2007 #
Is it possible this is satire? Don’t shoot; this is the first time I’ve heard it and it sounds too silly to be honest.
posted by Anthony
on January 24, 2007 #
Put aside the fact that anyone who would even
think of proposing such an absurd thing must
be a raving scientific racist.
What would we do without people to tell us what we should and should not think of proposing? Bravo, Aaron.
http://paulgraham.com/say.html
posted by
on January 24, 2007 #
Pseudonymous statistician La Griffe du Lion invented the meme that the black-white IQ gap is the Fundamental Law of Sociology. Here’s its first appearance:
http://www.lagriffedulion.f2s.com/city.htm
Aaron’s criticisms are dead on, IMO - calling this the fundamental law of sociology is absurd.
But the pesky IQ gap is real enough.
posted by rps
on January 24, 2007 #
Reminds me of “The Bell Curve”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bell_Curve
posted by AL
on January 24, 2007 #
2007-01-23 22:52:36 gives a classic example of what I call argumentum ad libertatem.
And did he just say “Paul Graham”? Oh, OK.
posted by bi
on February 5, 2007 #
You can also send comments by email.
Comments
Assuming all people deserve to enjoy all the benefits of their innate worth, and assuming all people deserve to enjoy all benefits of their potential…
1) How do you best help them as an individual?
2) How do you best help them as a member of their social-economic group?
There are people who will not “sign up” to the simple framework outlined above for releasing positive human potential and engage in the implied consequent analysis and actions.
For whatever reason, they don’t wish to “sign up”.
I am inclined to treat those people as brain damaged. Speak to them slowly, make no sudden movements, place their wallets inside of their mouths lest they choke on their own tongues.
In other words, if I come across a “socio-economist” sunk into a trough of pig filth, I trod upon his head to keep my pant cuffs from becoming soiled, and continue walking along. I don’t stick around to listen to his gurglings.
posted by manuelg on January 23, 2007 #
Esp since “feet per second” isn’t a measure of acceleration :)
posted by Adam Langley on January 23, 2007 #
I would have liked to ask for links to the sources - who could possibly claim anything like that, except for real racist nutters. But they don’t deserve an upgrade to their page-rank by being linked from here…
posted by Tom Berger on January 24, 2007 #
He might be talking about that Steve Sailer jackass that was harassing Malcolm Gladwell in his blog comments. That’s the only person that leaped to mind for me, although it never would have occurred to me to call Steve Sailer a sociologist. But there is a never ending supply of other racists that aaronsw might be talking about.
posted by Ben Donley on January 24, 2007 #
Is it possible this is satire? Don’t shoot; this is the first time I’ve heard it and it sounds too silly to be honest.
posted by Anthony on January 24, 2007 #
What would we do without people to tell us what we should and should not think of proposing? Bravo, Aaron.
http://paulgraham.com/say.html
posted by on January 24, 2007 #
Pseudonymous statistician La Griffe du Lion invented the meme that the black-white IQ gap is the Fundamental Law of Sociology. Here’s its first appearance:
http://www.lagriffedulion.f2s.com/city.htm
Aaron’s criticisms are dead on, IMO - calling this the fundamental law of sociology is absurd.
But the pesky IQ gap is real enough.
posted by rps on January 24, 2007 #
Reminds me of “The Bell Curve” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bell_Curve
posted by AL on January 24, 2007 #
2007-01-23 22:52:36 gives a classic example of what I call argumentum ad libertatem.
And did he just say “Paul Graham”? Oh, OK.
posted by bi on February 5, 2007 #
You can also send comments by email.